Thermal bathwear

ABSTRACT

A heatable robe comprises a coverlet, having at least one openable partition, and including a moisture absorbent material suitable for removing moisture from a wearer&#39;s body. At least one heating element is carried by the coverlet and is configured to generate heat in at least a portion of the coverlet.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to heatable apparel that iswearable in wet environments.

2. Related Art

During cold seasons, people often wrap themselves in blankets, sweaters,coats and similar items in order to keep warm. While such items serve toinsulate a person, thereby partially retaining a wearer's body heat,they are often cold when first donned by the wearer, and must be warmedby the wearer's body heat before they are comfortable. Additionally,they can be restrictive to the wearer, trapping limbs inside a wrap, oradding extra bulk that can interfere with the wearer's range of motion.Additionally, these layers generally must be removed in order for thewearer to cool off, effectively giving them only on or off settings.

Cold temperatures are often most noticeable to those exiting from a wetenvironment, such as stepping from a hot tub, bath, shower, or the like.The cooler air temperature combined with the moisture on a person's bodycan create a chilling effect wherein the person feels as if it is colderthan the actual ambient temperature, and in fact can reduce a person'sbody temperature to below the ambient temperature. At such times aperson will often wrap him or herself in a towel or robe in order towarm up and dry off. Such drying effectively transfers the moisture fromthe person's body to the towel, thereby wetting the towel. Initially, atowel wetted in this manner will have a temperature close to the bodytemperature of the bather. However, over time, the temperature of thetowel will cool to that of the surrounding environment and the wet towelwill become uncomfortably cold against the wearer's skin.

Cold temperatures are also noticeable to those who suffer fromweather-aggravated ailments, such as arthritis, rheumatism or the like,and also by those who have exerted their muscles over a period of timewhile in a cold environment, such as when skiing, snowboarding, or thelike. Application of heat pads, hot water bottles, and the like, can behelpful in relieving discomfort due to such ailments and exertion.However, heating devices, such as heat pads and water bottles, onlyapply heat to a localized area, leaving the remaining portions of thebody un-warmed, or wrapped up in a blanket as described above.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It has been recognized that it would be advantageous to develop a methodand device for warming a person's body without restricting the naturalmovement of the body. Additionally, it has been recognized that it wouldbe advantageous to develop a method and device for drying and warming aperson's body who has just exited from a wet environment, such as tub orshower, and who may remain in a wet environment, such as a bathroom orshower room. Moreover, it has been recognized that it would beadvantageous to develop a method and device for selectively warming aportion of a person's body to a predetermined temperature, while coolingor maintaining another portion of a person's body at a differenttemperature.

In one aspect, the present invention provides a heatable robe configuredto be worn on a wearer's body. The heatable robe can include a coverlethaving at least one openable partition, and a moisture absorbentmaterial that can remove moisture from the wearer's body. At least oneheating element can be carried by the coverlet to distribute heatthrough at least a portion of the coverlet.

In a more detailed aspect of the invention, the present inventionprovides for a heated bathrobe including a bathrobe having a torso and apair of sleeves that can be worn by a person. The bathrobe can alsoinclude an energizable power source that can be carried by the bathrobe.A thermal energy transfer array can be distributed through at least aportion of the bathrobe, and can be coupled to the energizable source.The thermal energy transfer array can receive energy from theenergizable power source and can selectively distribute energy in theform of heat throughout selected portions of the bathrobe.

The present invention also provides for a method for warming a personexiting a wet environment, including placing a robe on at least aportion of person's body. The robe can be configured to absorb moisture.At least one heating element carried by the robe can be heated in orderto distribute heat through at least a portion of the robe.

Additional features and advantages of the invention will be apparentfrom the detailed description which follows, taken in conjunction withthe accompanying drawings, which together illustrate, by way of example,features of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of a heatable robe in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention, shown in a closed configuration;

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of a coverlet of the heatable robe ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front view of a heatable bathrobe in accordance with anotherembodiment of the present invention, shown in a closed configuration;and

FIG. 4 is a front view of a heatable bathrobe in accordance with anotherembodiment of the present invention, shown in a closed configuration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made to the exemplary embodiments illustrated inthe drawings, and specific language will be used herein to describe thesame. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scopeof the invention is thereby intended. Alterations and furthermodifications of the inventive features illustrated herein, andadditional applications of the principles of the inventions asillustrated herein, which would occur to one skilled in the relevant artand having possession of this disclosure, are to be considered withinthe scope of the invention.

The present invention generally provides a heatable robe that cangenerate heat to warm the body of a person wearing the robe. The robecan have at least one partition that can be opened to allow the wearerto don the robe. The robe can have an array of heating elementsdistributed throughout the material of the robe. Each heating elementcan distribute heat into at least a portion of the bathrobe. Thebathrobe can be made of an absorbent material that can draw moistureaway from the wearer's body. The heating elements can be shielded from,or resistant to, moisture in the robe material. Each of the heatingelements can be selectively activated to heat a select portion of therobe in order to warm a particular part of the wearer's body. In oneaspect, the heating elements can collectively be heated to a commontemperature, thereby heating substantially all of the robe to the sametemperature. In another aspect, different portions of the robe can beheated to different temperatures. In use, a wearer can don the bathrobe,activate the heating elements to heat the robe to a comfortabletemperature, and, if desired, open a partition to selectively coolportions of the wearer's body.

It will be appreciated that the general principles of the presentinvention can be applied to a number of bathing type garments, towels,or cold weather coverings. For convenience, and not by way oflimitation, all of these types of coverings are herein referred to as“robes” or “bathrobes,” and a person using the present invention isherein referred to as a “weareror a “user” of the bathrobe.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, a heatable robe, indicated generally at 10, isshown in accordance with the present invention, for use in warming aperson wearing the robe. The robe 10 can include a coverlet 14 that canbe sized to cover a portion of the wearer's body. The coverlet 14 canhave a torso portion 18 and a pair of sleeves 22. The coverlet 14 canalso have at least one openable partition 26 that can be opened to allowthe wearer to wrap the robe about the wearer's body. A sash 30 can wraparound the robe and can be tied to secure the openable partition 26 in aclosed position, as shown in FIG. 1.

The robe 10 can also include at least one heating element 50. The atleast one heating element 50 can be carried by the coverlet 14 and canbe distributed throughout the coverlet in order to generate anddistribute heat throughout at least a portion of the coverlet. In oneaspect, the coverlet 14 can include a plurality of heating elements 50.The plurality of heating elements 50 can be distributed throughout thecoverlet in an array and can define a thermal energy transfer array,indicated generally at 54. Each heating element 50 in the thermal energytransfer array 54 can radiate heat to a predetermined area of thecoverlet 14. The array 54 can include a sufficient number of heatingelements 50 to heat substantially the entire coverlet 14.

The heating elements 50 can be formed from a variety of materials knownto those having ordinary skill in the art of such elements, including,without limitation, metallic heating elements, ceramic heating elements,etc.

The robe 10 can also include a controller 60. The controller 60 can becoupled to the heating elements 50 of the thermal energy transfer array54. The controller can include a thermostat, rheostat, variableresistor, or the like, 62 that can control the temperature of theheating elements 50. In use, the wearer can adjust the controller 60 inorder to increase or decrease the temperature of the heating elements50, and thus control and adjust the temperature of the coverlet 14 to acomfortable temperature.

In one embodiment, the openable partition 26 can extend a length of therobe, and can be positioned to allow easy access to the sleeves 22. Itwill be appreciated that the openable partition 26 can be located in thefront of the coverlet, as shown in FIG. 1, or the openable partitioncould be located at other locations. For example, the openable partitioncould be located along the back of the robe, as is common with hospitalgowns, in order to enable third party assistance in donning the robe.Additionally, the openable partition could be located along one or bothof the sides of the robe. Moreover, as noted above, the robe can have aplurality of openable partitions, such as a front partition and a backpartition, as desired.

The openable partition 26 of the robe provides several advantages to theheatable robe 10 of the present invention. For example, the partitioncan be opened to adjust the size of the robe, thereby minimizingrestriction of the wearer's limbs. Additionally, the openable partition26 can give the wearer additional control of the temperature affectingthe wearer's body. Specifically, the robe 10 can be opened at theopenable partition 26 in order to cool a portion of the wearer's body,while the heating elements 50 are distributing heat throughout the robe10 covering the remaining portion of the wearer's body.

In this manner, a portion of the wearer's body can be cooled, whileanother portion can be heated by the robe. For example, in the casewhere the openable partition 26 is positioned in the front of the robe10, as shown in FIG. 1, the wearer can activate the heating element 50to heat the robe and warm the wearer's body. The wearer can then openthe front of the robe 10 at the openable partition 26 and at leastpartially expose the front portion of the wearer's body. With the frontof the robe 10 opened at the openable partition 26, the front exposedportion of the wearer's body can cool in the ambient environment whilethe back portion of the wearer's body can remain covered and heated bythe robe 10. In this way, the wearer can selectively reduce thetemperature of a selected, exposed portion of the wearer's body.

The robe 10 can also include an energizable power source 52 that can becoupled to the at least one heating element 50. In one aspect, the atleast one heating element 50 can be an electrical heating element thatcan be coupled to an electrical power source, such as a battery 56 or anelectrical plug 58 that can be plugged into an electric wall socket. Itwill be appreciated that the robe 10 can have both a battery 56 and anelectrical plug 58, and that the battery can be a rechargeable batterythat can be recharged by electricity from the electrical plug.

The coverlet 14 can include a moisture absorbent material, such as terrycloth, cotton, wool, polyester, or the like. The moisture absorbentmaterial can remove moisture from the wearer's body. In one aspect, themoisture absorbent material can include a wicking material, such as woolfibers or cotton threads that can draw moisture away from the wearer'sbody. In this way, the wearer can don the robe 10 after exiting a wetenvironment, such as a hot tub, bath, shower, or the like, and the robe10 will absorb moisture from the wearer's body, thereby drying thewearer, while also warming the wearer's body via heat produced by theheating elements.

Referring to FIG. 2, a cross section of a section of coverlet 14 isshown in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Thecoverlet 14 can have a thermal energy transfer array 54 including aplurality of heating elements 50 disposed between two outer layers 70 ofmoisture absorbent material. A moisture resistant barrier 74 can bedisposed about the heating elements 50 to isolate the heating elementsfrom moisture to reduce the possibility of damaging the heating elementsor causing a potentially dangerous electrical short in the heatingelements.

It will be appreciated that in the case where the thermal energytransfer array 54 is comprised of electrical heating elements, moisturecontacting the heating elements 50 can damage the robe and possiblyinjure the robe wearer. Advantageously, the moisture barrier 74 canallow the wearer of the robe 10 to don the robe after exiting a wetenvironment without damaging the robe or risking injury to the wearer.

It is a particular advantage of the present invention that the wearer ofthe robe 10 can don the robe after exiting a wet environment such as ahot tub, bath, or shower. It will be appreciated that normally a personexiting such an environment will use a towel or robe to dry off, therebytransferring moisture to the towel and wetting the towel. In such acircumstance, the towel is subject to cooling due to exposure to acooler ambient temperature, and, after time, the towel can be comeuncomfortably cold to the wearer. In contrast, the heatable robe 10 ofthe present invention maintains the temperature of the robe at thetemperature selected by the wearer even after the robe becomes wet.Advantageously, this elevated temperature not only keeps the wearer warmwhile wearing a wet robe, but can also accelerate the drying time of thewet robe. Thus, a wearer can comfortably wear the robe for long periodsof time, even when the robe is damp or wet.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, a heatable bathrobe, indicated generally at100, is shown in accordance with another embodiment of the presentinvention. The bathrobe 100 is similar in many respects to the robe 10shown in FIG. 1. The bathrobe 100 can also include a coverlet 14, andthe coverlet can include a plurality of heating elements 50. Theplurality of heating elements can be separated to define a plurality ofselectively heatable regions of the bathrobe. For example, the bathrobe100 can have an upper right torso heatable region 110, an upper lefttorso heatable region 114, a lower right torso heatable region 118, alower left torso heatable region 122, a right arm heatable region 126,and a left arm heatable region 130. The bathrobe 100 can also include ahood 140 and the plurality of heating elements 50 can extend into thehood defining a head heatable region 134.

Each of the selectively heatable regions 110, 114, 118, 122, 126, 130and 134 can be heated to, and maintained at, a different temperature.Specifically, each of the plurality of heating elements 50 can beselectively activated to distribute heat to one of the plurality ofheatable regions. The bathrobe 100 can include a controller 160 that canbe coupled to the plurality of heating elements 50 to selectivelyactivate the heating elements in a particular selectively heatableregion in order to heat each of the heatable regions to a temperatureselected by the bathrobe wearer.

Advantageously, selectively heating a region of the bathrobe 100 allowsthe wearer to apply more heat to different portions of the wearer'sbody. This can be a particular advantage to those who suffer fromweather affected ailments or overextended muscles. For example,arthritis or rheumatism patients suffering with back pain, or skierswith sore back muscles, can adjust the bathrobe 100 to apply a highertemperature to the back portion of the bathrobe to treat the ailmentwith heat therapy.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, another heatable bathrobe, indicated generallyat 200, is shown in accordance with another embodiment of the presentinvention. The bathrobe 200 can be similar in many respects to thebathrobes 10 and 100 described above and shown in FIGS. 1 and 3.

The bathrobe 200 can have a coverlet 214 that can carry at least oneheating element 250.

The heating element 250 can be a chemical heating element, such as aheating pad that heats by chemical reaction or a hot water bottle. Theheating element 250 can be placed in one of a plurality of pockets 252disposed about different regions of the coverlet 214. The heatingelement 250 can radiate heat from the pocket 252 to a surrounding areaof the coverlet 214.

A separate heating element 250 can be placed in each of the plurality ofpockets 252 to form a thermal energy transfer array, indicated generallyat 254. The thermal energy transfer array 254 can include a sufficientnumber of pockets and heating elements to heat substantially the entirebathrobe 200.

In use, the wearer of the robe 200 can place a heating element 250 inselected pockets 252 to control the area of the robe desired to beheated. Additionally, the wearer can move the heating element todifferent pockets to adjust the amount of heat each area of the robe canreceive. Moreover, the wearer can open the openable partition 26 toselectively cool a portion of the wearer's body, while maintaining orincreasing the temperature of the remaining covered portion of thewearer's body. In this way, the bathrobe 200 of the present inventioncan be used to warm a wearer even when an electrical power source is notavailable.

The present invention also provides for a method for warming a personexiting a wet environment including, placing a robe over at least aportion of the person's body. The robe can be configured to absorbmoisture. At least one heating element in the robe can be heated inorder to distribute heat through at least a portion of the robe. Thestep of heating the at least one heating element can also includeactivating an electrical power supply carried by the bathrobe to deliverelectricity to an electrical heating element in order to convert theelectricity to heat and distribute the heat throughout the bathrobe.

It is to be understood that the above-referenced arrangements are onlyillustrative of the application for the principles of the presentinvention. Numerous modifications and alternative arrangements can bedevised without departing from the spirit and scope of the presentinvention. While the present invention has been shown in the drawingsand fully described above with particularity and detail in connectionwith what is presently deemed to be the most practical and preferredembodiment(s) of the invention, it will be apparent to those of ordinaryskill in the art that numerous modifications can be made withoutdeparting from the principles and concepts of the invention as set forthherein.

1. A heatable robe, comprising: a coverlet, having at least one openablepartition, and including a moisture absorbent material suitable forremoving moisture from a wearer's body; and at least one heatingelement, carried by the coverlet, and configured to generate heat in atleast a portion of the coverlet.
 2. The robe of claim 1, wherein themoisture absorbent material includes a wicking material configured todraw moisture away from the wearer's body.
 3. The robe of claim 1,further comprising a plurality of heating elements distributedthroughout the coverlet, each heating element being capable of radiatingheat to an area of the coverlet.
 4. The robe of claim 1, furtherincluding a controller operably coupled to the at least one heatingelement and being configured to control the temperature of the at leastone heating element.
 5. The robe of claim 1, wherein the coverletincludes a plurality of heating elements and a plurality of selectivelyheatable regions, wherein each of the plurality of heating elementsselectively distributes heat to one of the plurality of heatable regionsso that each heatable region is heatable to a different temperature. 6.The robe of claim 5, further including a controller coupled to theplurality of heating elements, the controller capable of selectivelycontrolling each of the plurality of heating elements to heat each ofthe heatable regions to a selectable temperature.
 7. The robe of claim1, wherein the at least one openable partition is openable to expose aportion of the wearer's body without requiring removal of the robe fromthe wearer's body.
 8. The robe of claim 1, wherein the at least oneopenable partition is located in the front of the coverlet and isopenable to expose a front portion of the wearer's body.
 9. The robe ofclaim 1, wherein the robe is safely operable in a wet environment. 10.The robe of claim 1, wherein the at least one heating element is anelectrical heating element coupleable to an electrical power source. 11.The robe of claim 10, wherein the electrical power source is selectedfrom the group consisting of a battery, an electrical plug, andcombinations thereof.
 12. The robe of claim 1, wherein the at least oneheating element is a chemical heating element.
 13. A heated bathrobe,comprising: a bathrobe, having a torso and a pair of sleeves, configuredto be worn by a person; an energizable source, carried by the bathrobe;a thermal energy transfer array, distributed through at least a portionof the bathrobe and coupled to the energizable source, to receive energytherefrom and selectively distribute energy in the form of heatthroughout selected portions of the bathrobe.
 14. The robe of claim 13,wherein the thermal energy transfer array includes an array ofelectrical heating elements extending through at least a portion of thebathrobe and the energizable source is an electrical power source, theelectrical heating elements being electrically coupled to the electricalpower source to receive power therefrom, and being configured to convertthe electrical power to heat and distribute the heat throughout theportions of the bathrobe.
 15. The robe of claim 13, further comprising amoisture absorbent material to draw moisture away from the wearer'sbody.
 16. The robe of claim 13, further comprising a plurality ofheating elements distributed throughout the coverlet, each heatingelement capable of radiating heat to a predetermined area of thecoverlet.
 17. The robe of claim 16, further including a controllercoupled to the plurality of heating elements and configured toselectively control the temperature of the plurality of heatingelements.
 18. The robe of claim 13, wherein the coverlet includes aplurality of heating elements and a plurality of selectively heatableregions, and each of the plurality of heating elements selectivelydistributes heat to one of the plurality of heatable regions so thateach heatable region is heatable to a different temperature.
 19. Therobe of claim 18, further including a controller coupled to theplurality of heating elements, the controller selectively controllingeach of the plurality of heating elements to heat each of the heatableregions to a selectable temperature.
 20. A method of warming a personexiting a wet environment, comprising: covering at least a portion ofperson's body with a robe, the robe being operable to absorb moisturefrom the person's body; and activating at least one heating elementcarried by the robe to distribute heat through at least a portion of therobe.
 21. The method of claim 20, wherein activating the at least oneheating element further includes activating an electrical power supplycarried by the bathrobe to deliver electricity to the electrical heatingelement to convert the electricity to heat and distribute the heatthroughout the bathrobe.